Foreign affairs ministers of EU member states on Thursday held an online meeting with Gulf Co-Operation Council representatives to show their support to the region as it comes under attack from Iran.
In parallel, European leaders were co-ordinating the posting of military resources to the region, as missiles were intercepted above the UAE and Qatar. France, Italy and Greece have said they are working together to defend freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait, shut down by Iran.
The EU and GCC officials said they were united in their demand for stability in the Middle East and the right for Gulf states to self-defence. The EU also reaffirmed its "solidarity with the countries of the GCC."
"The ministers recalled the inherent right of the GCC countries, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, to defend themselves, individually and collectively, against the armed attacks of Iran," the joint statement said.
Security and stability
Ministers said they "stressed that the security and stability of the Gulf region are fundamental pillars of the stability of the global economy, intrinsically linked to European and global security."
The GCC was represented by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and GCC Secretary General Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi.
Speaking on arrival at the meeting in Brussels, EU foreign Affairs Minister Kaja Kallas blamed Tehran. "Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can, to sow chaos," Ms Kallas said. She said that the EU and Gulf states "want this war to not go any further."
Israel and the US launched joint attacks against Iran on February 28. Tehran has retaliated, claiming it is aiming drones and missiles at US bases in neighbouring states. The conflict has expanded to Lebanon, with an Israeli ground invasion under way and calls by the Israeli military for Lebanese citizens to evacuate the south of the country.
The war has also caused divisions among EU states, with Spain, and later France, describing US and Israeli operations as illegal. Yet all states are concerned by the barrage of missiles Tehran has fired against Gulf states.
Hormuz straits
Since the launch of joint Israeli and US attacks against Iran, Europe has focused on supporting the safety of maritime navigation in the Hormuz Strait, one of the world's most vital oil export routes, which has been shut down by Iran.
“European naval assets have been sent to the region, because the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the trade routes is extremely important, also for the European Union, but also for the Gulf countries,” Ms Kallas said. “We are trying to keep these trade routes open.”
Dubravka Suica, the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean who joined the meeting with GCC states, said it was important to "deepen partnerships with GCC countries."
"We have now to enhance our co-operation, because it's not only about GCC, it's about the region," she said. The war "can have, not only an impact on Europe, but also a global impact."
European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said she had spoken to the UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed. "Iran's targeting of the United Arab Emirates and other countries across the Gulf is condemnable, unacceptable and unjustifiable," she said. "We are grateful for the UAE’s leadership and support in ensuring the safety of European citizens and facilitating assistance and repatriation efforts."
Brussels has yet to organise mass evacuations of European citizens in the Middle East as it did following the October 7, 2023, attacks against Israel and its ensuing war on Gaza. European states have separately launched their own evacuation efforts.
The EU's most active state in providing military support to the Gulf has been France, which has defence agreements with the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. Over the weekend, its Rafale jets shot down Iranian drones over UAE airspace which lightly damaged its two military bases. UK Typhoon jets have done the same over Qatar.
"We had Rafales that were already in the Emirates and as part of our [defence] agreement. Six additional Rafales were sent to the Emirates and they have arrived,” French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin told radio RTL on Thursday.
Help for Cyprus
Additionally, French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is on its way to the Mediterranean and should arrive by the end of the week or early next week, Ms Vautrin said. One of the goals of the aircraft carrier is to help protect Cyprus from drone attacks in co-ordination with Italy and Greece. A separate French frigate, the Languedoc, is also sailing towards the region.
On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron's office said he had spoken separately to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. "They agreed to co-ordinate the deployment of military resources to Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean and to work together to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," his office said.
France has also sent frigates to strengthen an existing European defensive naval mission in the Red Sea launched in 2024 to fend off Houthi attacks, The National understands.
France and Italy have publicly announced they have sent air defence systems to help Gulf states fend off Iranian drone and ballistic missile attacks.
"Like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, Italy intends to send assistance to Gulf countries, specifically in the field of defence and in particular air defence," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told radio station RTL 102.5.
It was not immediately clear whether German military support had been sent to the Gulf. Berlin is known to supply a lot of Israel's air defence.
Spanish criticism
Spain has been the most vocal critic of US and Israeli attacks against Iran, stating they are illegal. On Tuesday, Mr Macron joined Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in describing the attacks as operating outside international law.
Ms Vautrin criticised US strikes on an Iranian ship off the coast of Sri Lanka that killed at least 87 sailors. “This ship was returning from training,” she said. “The strategy followed by some, without any prior notice and without any respect for international treaties, can only raise questions.”
Mr Trump has threatened Madrid with trade sanctions in retaliation for denying the US access to bases for missions against Iran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has claimed Spain had “agreed to co-operate with the US military". There was no such agreement, according to Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares. “She might be the White House spokesperson, but I’m the foreign minister of Spain," Mr Albares said.
